Another trip to the summit by way of FS299.1C/FS299.1K. Such a beautiful mountain. Totally baffles me why trail routes are not given at least some minimal maintenance. But, I guess I should be just glad it is still publicly accessible.

Made a great 4.5 mile outing from where we left the truck. SUPER crazy windy at the summit. Flag was flying at the fire tower, but no ranger was present. It was SO COLD up top! Beautiful day. We visited Odakota Mountain and Medicine Mountain, too!

This was part of a trip to reach the top of all the 7,000 foot mountains in South Dakota. The fire tower was manned during my visit. I visited with the ranger for quite some time because he knew much about the history and wildfires that had occurred in the Black Hills. The panorama was the best of all the summits I visited even though Bear Mountain isn't much to look out as far as mountains go.

I thought that this peak sounded familiar but wasn't quite sure. Anyways I dug out the old Black Hills National Forest map and sure enough I was able to confirm that I have been there. I remember hiking up and getting to the tower which was manned. I also recall there being trucks up there since there is a road that leads to the top.

Beautiful fall colors and brilliant blue skies make my first trip up Bear Mountain a memorable one. It was disappointing to see that all trail markers and signs had been removed. But, finding our way to the top, was still not too difficult. It took about 75 minutes to reach the summit from the Boy Scout Camp, and about 65 minutes to get back. Before heading back down, we traveled down the trail in search of the correct route for the loop, but the lack of any markers forced us to turn back.

"As an adolescent I aspired to lasting fame, I craved factual certainty, and I thirsted for a meaningful vision of human life - so I became a scientist. This is like becoming an archbishop so you can meet girls."
--M. Cartmill